The Kolkata Metro Rail, once again became the choicest mode of conveyance of the city commuters as the underground transport system carried 61.6 lakh passengers during 1 to 8 October, between Tritiya and Dasami of this year’s festive period.
It has barely been three months when the Kolkata Metro had witnessed a tragic incident in which a man was electrocuted to death after his fingers got stuck between the leaves of a door, outside a rake, at Park Street Station on 13 July.
Post that incident, Metro has been plagued with frequent glitches and suicide attempts.
While the commuters faced too many technical snags in August, the month of September brought further difficulties for them when at least four people attempted suicide in Kolkata Metro by jumping before an approaching train.
Neither the death of the 66- year-old Kasba resident or the frequent technical snags and disruptions, brought any change to the commuters’ choice, who have preferred the Metro over other modes of conveyance during the peak festival season.
The Kolkata Metro continues to enjoy the status of the city’s lifeline, as was evident during this year’s Durga Puja during which it witnessed historic footfall. It added a feather in its cap by breaking some of its own records of the past 34 years.
The network witnessed the highest footfall ever in the history of Metro Railway since its commissioning in 1984 by carrying 9.22 lakh commuters on Panchami, which was on 3 October. On 4 October, the next day, Metro carried 9.11 lakh commuters, which became the second highest footfall in a day, in its journey of 34 years.
Kolkata Metro also crossed a milestone by earning 10.3 per cent more than its earnings of the previous year. It has also achieved another success by carrying more than 3.5 lakh passengers during the peak festive season between Tritiya to Dashami of this year’s Durga Puja.